Cooler for perishable material



Sept. 7, 19 65 R. L. JIREL 3,204,421

COOLER FOR PERISHABLE MATERIAL Filed May 6, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 o :ii'nnnvnnun Robert L. Jire IN VEN TOR.

Sept. 7, 1965 R. L. JIREL COOLER FOR PERISHABLE MATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 6, 1964 Fig. 3

Fig.5

Robert L. J/re/ INVENTOR. 4052. BY M United States Patent 3,204,421 COOLER FOR PERISHABLE MATERIAL Robert L. Jirel, Columbia, S.C., assiguor of fifty percent to Frank H. McWhirt, Columbia, S.C. Filed May 6, 1964, Ser. No. 365,396 7 Claims. (Cl. 62-186) This invention relates to a novel and useful apparatus which is designed to preserve, store and display food such as milk and other products which are sold under refrigeration at above freezing temperatures.

The cooler for perishable materials comprises a housing designed to be placed on top of ice cream freezer chests or other open-top cold storage freezers and to draw the supercooled air from the freezer through the insulated housing of the cooler by means of thermostatically controlled air pump means designed to be actuated so as to maintain the temperature of the air within the housing within a predetermined range above the temperature of the air Within the cold storage freezer. In this manner, perishables may be displayed in the cooler and withdrawn therefrom by customers while they are maintained refrigerated, at a level somewhat above the temperature at which water freezes.

Inasmuch as the provision of a hollow housing disposed over an open top freezer would promote relatively rapid stratification of the volume of refrigerated air disposed in the housing and freezer when the circulation of the refrigerated air through both the freezer and housing was not being forced, the housing of the cooler of the instant invention includes air passage means defining a passage therethrough and including baffle means specifically designed to retard Stratification of the refrigerated air within the housing and the cooler when the air pump means is inactive.

In addition, the cooler of the instant invention is designed in a manner such that its operative association with a conventional type of open top freezer for refrigeration thereby does not materially reduce the storage capacity of the associated freezer.

The main object of this invention is to provide a cooler for perishable material that must be maintained refrigerated within a range of temperature above the freezing point and which is constructed in a manner whereby the cooler may be operatively supported from, communicated with the interior of and refrigerated by an associated refrigeration chest or freezer.

Another object of this invention, in accordance With the immediately preceding object, is to provide a cooler including thermostatically controlled air pump means for forcing circulation of portions of the refrigerated air within the associated freezer through the housing of the cooler of the instant invention.

Yet another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide the housing of the cooler of the instant invention with specifically designed air passage means whereby the refrigerated air pumped through the cooler will pass through substantially all portions of the interior of the cooler.

Still another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a cooler housing including baflle means specifically designed to retard stratification of the refrigerated air within the cooler housing and the associated freezer when the air pump means of the cooler is not in operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cooler for perishable materials in accordance with the preceding objects constructed in a manner whereby the perishable materials disposed therein are visually displayed and may be readily removed therefrom.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a 3,204,421 Patented Sept. 7, 1965 cooler for perishable materials including illuminating means disposed exteriorly of the refrigerated portion of the cooler and positioned so as to illuminate the interior of the latter.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a cooler for perishable materials in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively troublefree in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter de scribed and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end portion of a conventional type of open top freezer shown with the cooler of the instant invention operatively supported therefrom and with a partial top wall closing the portions of the open top of the freezer not closed by the cooler;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom plan view of the cooler of the instant invention on somewhat of a reduced scale; and

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view of the control circuit for the air pump means of the cooler.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generally designates a conventional form of chest-type open top freezer. The freezer 10 has a partial top wall 12 disposed over one portion of the open top thereof and the cooler of the instant invention which is generally designated by the reference numeral 14 is disposed over the portion of the open .top of the freezer 10 which is not covered by the partial closure or top wall 12.

The cooler 14 includes a housing generally referred to by the reference numeral 16 having opposite side walls 18 and 20 interconnected by means of a top wall 22. The opposite ends of the housing 16 are open and have pairs of transparent sliding doors 24 and 26 mounted therein whereby access may be had to the interior of the housing 16. In addition, the transparent doors 24 and 26 provide a clear view of the interior of the housing 16.

It may be noted from FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings that the opposite ends of the top wall 22 have a pair of illumination means supporting housings 28 and 30 supported therefrom which open downwardly and inwardly toward the associated end of the housing 16 and have a pair of illuminating means 32 and 34 disposed therein. In addition, the housing 28 and 30 also have window openings 36 and 38 formed therein. Each of the window openings 36 and 38 has a translucent sign panel 40 mounted therein with opaque indicia 43 formed thereon to identify the type or types of perishables stored and displayed within the housing 16.

With attention now directed more specifically to FIG- URES 2-4 of the drawings it may be seen that the chesttype freezer 10 includes opposite side walls 42 and 44 in which refrigeration coils 46 and 48 are enclosed for refrigerating the interior of the refrigerator 10. The refrigeration coils 46 and 48 comprise portions of a conventional-type of refrigeration system (not fully shown) provided for refrigerating the interior of the freezer 10.

The housing 16 also includes a bottom wall 50 having a first inlet opening 52 formed therein and an outlet opening 54 formed therein. A depending tubular housing 56 is supported from the bottom wall 50 and encloses an electric motor 58 supported from the bracket 60 and having an air screw or fan blade 62 mounted on its output shaft 64. The tubular housing 56 is registered with the inlet opening 52 and it may be seen from FIGURES 24 of the drawings that the lower end of an upstanding tubular housing 66 is secured about the edges of the inlet opening 52. The tubular housing 66 defines an inlet passage and extends to a point a spaced distance below the top or upper wall 22 of the housing 16. A transverse center shelf 68 is supported in the housing 16 between the side walls 18 and 20 and the tubular housing 66 includes a first outlet opening 70 and a bafile 72 for directing a portion of the refrigerated air passing upwardly through the housing 66 outwardly of the outlet opening 70 and into one side of the portion of the interior of the housing 16 disposed below the shelf 68. The upper end of the housing 66 has a second outlet opening 74 formed therein which opens into the portion of the interior of the housing 16 disposed above the shelf 68 and a second upstanding housing 76 is supported from the side wall 18 and has its lower end projecting downwardly through the outlet opening 54 with its upper end disposed in the upper portion of the housing 16 disposed above the shelf 68. The upstanding housing 76 is open at its upper end and has an opening 78 formed therein below the shelf 68. Accordingly, it may be seen that upon operation of the motor 58 that air will be drawn from the interior of the freezer upwardly through the housing 66 and into the portions of the interior of the housing 16 disposed above and below the shelf 68 and adjacent the side wall 20. Thereafter, the refrigerated air will pass downwardly into the upper end of the housing 76 from the upper portion of the housing disposed above the shelf 68 and into the housing 76 through the opening 78 from the lower portion of the housing disposed below the shelf 68. Thereafter, the refrigerated air will be passed downwardly through the housing 76 and returned into the freezer 10.

With attention now directed to FIGURE 6 of the drawings it may be seen that the motor 58 is electrically connected to a suitable source of electrical potential generally referred to by the reference numeral 80 by means of a pair of conductors 82 and 84, there being a thermostatically controlled switch assembly generally referred to by the reference numeral 86 serially connected in the conductor 84 and controlled by means of the control knob 88. Therefore, it may be seen that operation of the motor 58 is thermostatically controlled and that operation of the motor 58 may be automatically effected upon an increase of temperature in the housing 16 above a predetermined temperature and also that operation of the motor 58 may be thereafter terminated upon a drop in the temperature within the housing 16 below a predetermined temperature.

The walls of the housing 16 may of course be double thickness and have any suitable type of insulation disposed between the two thicknesses thereof and the housing 16 may be readily constructed of any suitable size so as to conform to the size of any given freezer.

In operation, the thermostatically controlled motor 58 will maintain the temperature within the housing 16 in a predetermined range above freezing and therefore the perishable material disposed within the housing 16 may be properly refrigerated. In addition, the illuminating means 32 and 34 are positioned to illuminate the interior of the housing 16 through the transparent doors 24 and 26 thereof without the heat given off by the operation of the illuminating means 32 and 34 being communicated with the interior or refrigerated portion of the housing 16.

From FIGURE 3 of the drawings it may be seen that the inlet openings 70 and 74 open into the upper portions of the lower and upper portions of the housing 16, respectively, and that the opening 78 is also disposed in the upper portion of the lower half of the housing 16 while the upper end of the housing 76 projects above the shelf 68 defining the lower limit of the upper half or section of the housing 16. Therefore, when the mot-or 58 is not o erating, stratification of the refrigerated air within the housing 16 and the freezer 10 will be retarded.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a conventional refrigerated container of the type having an open top and a removable partial top wall closing a portion of the open top of said container, .a cooler for perishable materials including a housing having a bottom wall with an opening formed therein, said container and said housing including coacting means removably supporting said housing above and from said container with said opening registered with the unclosed portion of the open top of said container and the bottom of said cooler and the adjacent upper portions of said container forming a seal about said openings between said container and said housing, said housing including baffie means defining an air circulating passage extending therethrough including air inlet and air outlet means at opposite ends registered with said opening in said container, and air pump means supported from said housing and operatively communicated with said air circulating passage for pumping air from said container through said housing and back into said container, motor means supported from said housing drivingly connected to said air pump means and a thermostatically controlled actuating control means in said housing for actuating said motor means in response to a rise in temperature in said housing above a predetermined maximum and terminating actuation of said motor means in response to a drop in temperature in said housing below a redetermined minimum.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said baflie means includes portions thereof defining upstanding passage sections whose lower ends comprise said inlet and said outlet and which are communicated within said housing at their upper end portions only thereby preventing air circulating through said container and housing by convection and also retarding Stratification of Warm and cool air within said housing and container when said motor means is inop erative.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said air pump means and said motor means are dependingly supported from said bottom and disposed within the confines of said container thereby leaving substantially the entire interior of said housing other than said baffle means unoccupied for support and storage of erishable materials which are to be cooled.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said baffle means includes portions thereof defining upstanding passage sections whose lower ends comprise said inlet and said outlet and which are communicated within said housing at their upper end portions only thereby reventing air circulating through said container and housing by convection and also retarding stratification of warm and cool air within said housing and container when said mot-or means is inoperative, said housing defining a plurality of vertically spaced compartments disposed between the opposite ends of said upstanding passage sections, said verti cally spaced compartments having their upper portions only communicated with said upstanding passage sections.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said housing includes at least two opposite upstanding walls each having at least one transparent portion and through which access to the interior of said housing may be gained.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said baflle means includes portions thereof defining upstanding passage sections Wh'OSB lower ends comprise said inlet and said outlet and which are communicated within said housing at their upper end portions only thereby preventing air circulating through said container and housing by convection and also retarding Stratification of warm and cool air within said housing and container when said motor means is inoperative, said air pump and motor means being dependingly supported from said bottom and disposed within the confines of said container thereby leaving substantially the entire interior of said housing other than said baflie means unoccupied for support and storage of perishable materials which are to be cooled.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,979,625 11/34 Knapp 62254 2,228,996 1/41 McGrath 62--419 2,43 8,355 3/48 Wilson 62419 2,459,243 1/ 49 Schwartz 62254 2,627,728 2/53 Levin 62419 2,826,046 3/58 Tobiasz 62254 2,909,044 10/59 Wilcox 624 19 WILLIAM J. WYE, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A CONVENTIONAL REFRIGERATED CONTAINER OF THE TYPE HAVING AN OPEN TOP AND A REMOVABLEL PARTIAL TOP WALL CLOSING A PORTION OF THE OPEN TOP OF SAID CONTAINER, A COOLER FOR PERISHABLE MATERIALS INCLUDING A HOUSING HAVING A BOTTOM WALL WITH AN OPENING FORMED THEREIN SAID CONTAINER AND SAID HOUSING INCLUDING COACTING MEANS REMOVABLY SUPPORTING SAID HOUSING ABOVE AND FROM SAID CONTAINER WITH SAID OPENING REGISTERED WITH THE UNCLOSED PORTION OF THE OPEN TOP OF SAID CONTAINER AND THE BOTTOM OF SAID COOLER AND THE ADJACENT UPPER PORTIONS OF SAID CONTAINER FORMING A SEAL ABOUT SAID OPENINGS, BETWEEN SAID CONTAINER AND SAID HOUSING, SAID HOUSING INCLUDING BAFFLE MEANS DEFINING AN AIR CIRCULATING PASSAGE EXTENDING THERETHROUGH INCLUDING AIR INLET AND AIR OUTLET MEANS AT OPPOSITE ENDS REGISTERED WITH SAID OPENING IN SAID CONTAINER, AND AIR PUMP MEANS SUPPORTED FROM SAID HOUSING AND OPERATIVELY COMMUNICATED WITH SAID AIR CIRCULATING PASSAGE FOR PUMPING AIR FROM SAID CONTAINER THROUGH SAID HOUSING AND BACK INTO SAID CONTAINER, MOTOR MEANS SUPPORTED FROM SAID HOUSING DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO SAID AIR PUMP MEANS AND A THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLLED ACTUATING CONTROL MEANS IN SAID HOUSING FOR ACTUATIANG SAID MOTOR MEANS IN RESPONSE TO A RISE IN TEMPERATURE IN SAID HOUSING ABOVE A PREDETERMINED MAXIMUM AND TERMINATING ACTUATION OF SAID MOTOR MEANS IN RESPONSE TO A DROP IN TEMPERATURE IN SAID HOUSING BELOW A PREDETERMINED MINIMUM. 